Desert Fury
by Artemis' hunters
Summary: On the way through Mourningwood Princess Talana and Sir Walter meet a mysterious gunslinger who could be the deciding factor in the success or failure of the Princess's rode to rule. Will the gunslingers need for revenge destroy the revolution? It seems Reaver isn't the only one that has made deals with the Shadow Court.


As they left the cave they were not met with the bright light of the sun like Princess Talana was hoping instead it was pitch black out, the moon only giving off enough light to barely see.

She looked back at her mentor Sir Walter. "Yes this is Mourningwood alright. Now just to find some friends of mine... if their still alive." Walter said grimly.

Talana gave Walter a questing look, "Why wouldn't they be?"

The exsoldier sighed, "Mourningwood can be a dangerous place this time at night." He said looking around trying to find the right path to the fortress. Looking around for something he recognized. "It's this way." He said walking into the thick woods, Talana's dog, Lupus fallowed not far behind.

Talana looked suspicious who could have any sense of direction in this light, but she has trusted Walter with her life sense birth and fallowed without question.

It had been a month since Her, Walter and her personal butler Jasper had fled the castle and her tyrant brother Logan. Talana has finally seen the conditions of some of the realm, poverty, homelessness, and violence. But those thoughts were not ones that often pledged her mind like one in particular.

Her last memory of her brother was in the throne room earlier in the day before they'd left. When she had finally seen the monster her brother had become. When he made her choose between the life of her people and the love of her life, Elliot. And the part most sad about it is even with Elliot's begging for her to choose him to be executed she chose the people.

A obnoxious whale brought the princess out of her thoughts as her and Walter were surrounded by Hobbes. Taking out there swords they began to fight the creatures. Though it was a pretty easy fight the lighting situation did make it a little difficult.

After a few minutes Talana's strength began to fade they just kept coming Hobbes everywhere. After cutting ones head clean off the princess turned around quick ready to take out the next but instead was met with an armored skeleton.

"Hallow men? Damnit! Talana watch out!" yelled Walter, but he was too late several hallow men were already upon her. The princess tried to fend them off with her sword and her hero gun but nether were doing enough damage to keep them away long enough. Talana looked quickly over to Walter who wasn't having much luck either. When Talana turned back a hallow man was standing in front of her axe raised high. She rolled out of the way barely missing the deadly blow. Before she had a chance to stand hallow men surrounded her.

Several loud shots rang through the clearing turning the hallow men into useless piles of bones. Princess Talana looked up at her savor to see probably the most attractive women in Albon and that was coming from a straight princess.

The first thing to be noticed was the clothes, obviously that of someone who liked to be seen. Black lace up boot coming up to her knees, then to her form fitting black trousers that looked as if taken from a female mercenary but fittingly showed off her long legs. A white shirt laced at the tip of the bust like, the bright red tassels used for tying hung loosely near her middle showing off a good amount of cleavage with the help of a underbust black corset, which was holding another gun in one of its many tight belts. The short cut dark red coat she was warring was undone, the princess could easily tell that is was not the coat of any common villager by the expensive looking gold embroidered designs on either side.

Looking higher she saw the women's face. Her heart shaped face was framed by curly dark brown hair that fell just below her bust. Her skin held an ivory tone. Piercing icey blue eyes that could read your very soul. Last was her full natural pale pink full lips that were pursed together as she blow the smoke from the tip of her gun. From what Talana has seen this women was probably two or three years older than herself.

Twirling the gun around and pointed it at Walter giving his undead attackers the same treatment as she had hers. The women looked down at Talana and smirked.

"Well, well, well, Princess Talana bowing at her savors feet, how appropriate." She laughed in a husky voice as she slid the gun in her hand a belt in her corset next to the other one.

Talana sat looking up at the women in shock. Never had any dared speak to the princess of Albion like that. Snapping out of it she stud up quickly. "Who do you think you are?"

"The names Sage and I think I'm the women that just saved your royal ass plus the worn out soldier over there." She said her smirk still painted on her pail lips as she nodded over at Walter.

Walter walked closer to the women examining her before glairing. He may be old but he hadn't lost his common sense it wasn't just a coincidence to meet such a skilled marks-men, especially a female one that looked like her in a place like Mourningwood.

Deciding to voice his suspicions, "Well, Miss Sage what's someone like you doing walking around Mourningwood at this time of night?"

Sage turned to Walter, "Someone like me? You mean a woman. How very sexist of you soldier. But I have my reasons. What about you? What's a retired old man and the princess doing out here? Don't you know it's dangerous in these woods?" She asked in a mocking tone.

Walter continued to glare at Sage, "We are here to see some friends of mine, but it's not really any of you-"

Sage clicked her tongue and walked around Talana and Walter, "You must mean that damned old fortress lurking with Logan's soldiers. Hmmm, then what kind of women would I be if I didn't show my dear princess the way in such darkening times."

Talana looked at the women and frowned not many would be so straight forward with something like this, it was quite brave. But Walter seemed to have a different opinion on their savor, "No thank you, I know the way."

"Aw what's wrong you don't trust me? Well I don't really blame you I could be anyone a murder, bounty hunter," She walked over to Talana and throws her arm over the princess's shoulder pulling her close, "Maybe even a rapist." Talana tensed at her words, but quickly overcame it looking the women dead in the eyes. "But I'm not and look around my dear sir and tell me what you see."

Walter rolled his eyes at the women but did as she said. Looking around the dark forest, _nothing,_ he replied in his mind, but as he went to tell her that he stopped realizing what she had meant. He really couldn't make out anything in these woods, especially at this time of night.

Sage smirked again almost as if reading his mind. "See you need me, but if you'd rather stay here and wait for the Hallow men to come be my guest." She said taking her arm off Talana and beginning to walk away.

Talana then turned to Walter, "She's right you know." She then turned back to Sage's retreating form, "Wait! You have to show us the way to the fortress it is extremely important that we reach it."

The gun-slinger turned around her icey blue eyes piercing into the both of them. "I don't _have_ to do anything, sister of Logan, besides from what I heard your brother is seems really angry about you disappearance. Why would you want to go to a fortress full with his soldiers?" She asked generally curious.

"I need their help to overthrow my brother." Talana said strongly not breaking eye contact with the women for a second.

Sage's eyes lit up, "Going to overthrow Logan? Your own brother? That is certainly interesting. Fine, I'll take you to the fortress... on one condition."

Walter put his hand on Talana's shoulder and whispered to her, "We can find the way on our own. We don't know anything about her. We can't trust her."

"You also can't whisper." Sage's husky voice remarked.

Ignoring the women's comment Talana looked up at her mentor, "We do need her. What's your condition?" She asked turning back

"I get to join this little revolution of yours."

"Absolutely not!" "Yes." Talana and Walter replied at the same time, before turning to each other having a slight stair down.

Finally Walter gave up, "Fine. She can come, but any funny business from you and you're gone." He said walking passed Sage.

Sage clapped her hands together, "Alright let's get moving then." She said "Hey! Old timer, it's this way!" She yelled walking in the opposite direction of what Walter had.

Stopping for a second Sage reached to the gun she had recently set in her corset belt and handed it to Talana, "A Bonesmasher. The only thing really useful against those undead basterds." Then continued to lead the way.

Suddenly the world around Talana froze and turned black and white. Her mother's seal stud in front of her and she walked into it quickly already knowing it was leading to the Seer.

Then the gate became clear, on either side were the followers she had collected on the right stud Walter, the representative of Brightwall, and the leader of the mercenaries she had spared, Captain Saker. On the left was Jasper, Sabine with his bodyguard Boulder, and SAGE?

Then Theresa appeared, "Congratulations. You have gained another follower. Though Sage does not seem like it she will be a great help to you along your journey. With her help you can continue on the road to rule." Theresa said, and then disappearing as quickly as she had come.

The gate in front of Talana opened and in a flash of light she was back in Albon Sage walking in front of her whistling some unknown tone as if the darkness around her hiding Avo knows what didn't bother her at all and Walter slightly behind grumbling under his breath.

Talana sighed, _Well, at least we can trust her, I think._

* * *

**I promise it will get better, the first chapter is always the hardest for me. R&R. I really hope Sage wasn't that Mary Sue, but if she is I hope to fix that later on. **


End file.
